1. Field
The present application relates to an image processing device, an electronic camera, and an image processing program storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a phenomenon that dark area gradation of image data is blacked out when shooting a subject having a large difference in brightness. Accordingly, inventions of Patent Publication No. 2663189 compress the gradation by increasing gain of the dark area gradation so as to improve black saturation of the dark area gradation.
Incidentally, various types of image processing are performed before and after the above-described compression of dark area gradation. For example, general gradation conversion processing, processing to achieve the gradation characteristics corresponding to viewing conditions (such as brightness of the surrounding) of the output destination, and the like are performed.
In such a situation, it is possible that preferred gradation characteristics cannot be achieved in relation with previous and/or subsequent processing, or even that a change in hue, chroma, and contrast occurs because the dark area turns to normal brightness.